Choo extends on-base streak as Rangers rip White Sox 11-3

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Shin-Soo Choo reached base for the 41st straight game and hit one of five Texas home runs in the first three innings as the Rangers trounced the Chicago White Sox 11-3 on Friday night.

The Rangers have won 10 of their last 12 games. The White Sox reached their season’s halfway point at 28-53, one win better than the franchise’s worst record through 81 games.

Yovani Gallardo (2-0), making his third start since joining Texas on June 17, retired his first 10 batters and allowed all three runs on four hits and one walk in 7 1/3 seven innings. Gallardo struck out seven.

Choo greeted White Sox reliever Chris Volstad with his 15th homer of the season to extend his hitting streak to 12 games.

Before the game, Choo said he hasn’t thought much about the streak while continuing to focus on reaching base at least twice a game.

“Is this really a big deal? I don’t know,” Choo said. “Every game, every at-bat, I just focus on trying to get on base no matter how.”

Chicago outfielder Matt Davidson made his big-league pitching debut and worked a perfect eighth inning with one strikeout.

SHORT HOPS

White Sox 3B Yolmer Sanchez, who turned 26 on Friday, was held out of the lineup for precautionary reasons after sustaining a left quad contusion Thursday. Sanchez could return Saturday. . Choo’s on-base streak is the longest since Atlanta’s Freddie Freeman reached in 46 straight games in 2016. . Covey’s ERA in five career innings vs. Texas is 25.20.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: RHP Miguel Gonzalez (shoulder) was recalled from his rehab assignment because of discomfort during a side session following Sunday’s start. Gonzalez will be re-evaluated.

Rangers: LHP Martin Perez (right elbow) will make his second rehab start on Saturday for Double-A Frisco. Perez struck out nine and allowed only two singles in five innings Monday for Single-A Hickory.

UP NEXT

White Sox LHP Carlos Rodon (1-2) will seek his second consecutive win on Saturday. Rodon worked eight innings to match a career high and allowed just two runs to Oakland on Sunday. Rodon will face Rangers RHP Bartolo Colon (4-5) whose 244 career wins are one short of Dennis Martinez’s record for the most by a native of Latin America.